Car-coupling



(Model) J. BEN

GAR COUPLING.

No. 248,503. Patented Oct. 18,1881.

. INVENTOR:

BY Mum WITNESSES 0 ATTORNEYS.

' NITED STATES PATENT GFFICE.

JOEL BEN, OF PARROTTSVILLE, TENNESSEE.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 248,503, dated October18, 1881.

Application filed August 19, 1881. (Model) To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JoEL BEN, of Parrottsville, in the county of Cookeand State of Tennessee, have invented a new and Improved Uar- Coupler,of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification.

The invention consists of a horizontal pincher-like pair of clampspivoted above the drawhead of a car on a suitable support, with the longlegs of the clamp extending forward and carrying a sliding ring, and thejaws or short legs directly above the coupling-pin aperture in thedraw-head in position for grasping the coupling-pin, and, further, of ahorn or a rod bent at right angles, fixed in and projecting from the endof an opposite car, whereby, when the cars approach each other, theclamp may be opened to release the coupling-pin, that the latter maydrop into the draw-head and hold the coupling-link.

Figure 1 is a plan of my improved device applied to cars. Fig. 2 is asectional side elevation of the same.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

In the drawings, AArepresent two opposite cars, having draw-heads B B.

Projecting from the front of car A, immediately over the draw-head B andparallel therewith, is a rectangular frame, 0, on the front and centerof which, on a vertical pivot, a, is pivoted the pincher-like clamp D,whosejaws b are directly above the vertical coupling-pin hole 0 in thedraw-head B, and whose long legs (I are extended forward beyond the saiddrawhead B. On said legs cl is placed alink or ring, E, which, whenpushed to the ends of said legs d, causes the jaws b to close on thecoupling-pin and hold it in vertical position in or over aperture 0. Theextremities of these legs (I are bent outward, as shown atf, to preventthe disengagement of said ring E.

Centrally from the front of the opposite car A is projected arectangularly-bent rod or horn F, that is designed to enter between thelegs (I of the clamp D'and move the ring E to cause the jaws b to openand release the coupling-pin G they have grasped.

When it is desired to couple the cars the coupling-pin G of the car A isheld up by the clamp D, as shown in Fig. 2, and the couplinglink H isheld ready for coupling on the coupling-pin G ofthe car A. Then, as thecars approach to each other, the free end of the link H enters thedraw-head B, and the horn F, entering between the legs cl of the clampD, pushes the ring E rearward and pushes apart the said legs d, therebycausing the jaws b to open and release the coupling-pin G, which thenfalls of its own gravity through the link H, and thereby couples thecars. The heads of the coupling-pins GG are bent at right angles, ormade in any other convenient shape for the ready grasping and releasingof the clamp D.

This device is very simple and effective, and obviates the necessity ofgoing between the cars for coupling them.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent- 1. An improved car-coupler, constructedsubstantially as herein shown and described, consisting of a pair ofclamps pivoted above the draw-head, the arms of the clamps carrying asliding ring, E, as set forth.

2. In a car-coupler, the combination of the clamp D and ring E with thedraw-head B, substantially asherein shown and described, whereby thelink-pin may be grasped and held, as set lorth.

3. In a car-coupler, the combination, with the clamp D and sliding ringE, of the horn F, substan tially as herein shown and described,wherebysaid clamp is released and the coupling-pin allowed to drop when thecars come together,

as set forth.

- JOEL BEN. lVitnesses:

ABRAHAM DAWSON, BETTIE HARNED.

